In this section

33. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN BAPTIST, WARWICK

At the east entrance to the town of Warwick
stood the hospital of St. John Baptist—a usual
dedication for these town hostelries—founded by
Henry earl of Warwick, in the time of Henry II,
for the double purpose of giving casual lodgement and refreshment to poor wayfarers, and for
the more permanent help of the local poor and
infirm. (fn. 1)

The Taxatio of 1291 shows that this hospital
then held a carucate of land at Warwick worth
10s. a year and a dovecote worth 2s. (fn. 2)

Bishop Walter Maidstone was actively interested in both the endowed hospitals of
Warwick, and took steps to increase the services
in their chapels. In August, 1315, he gave
authority to Adam de Herwinton, one of the
canons of the church of St. Mary, Warwick,
and brother John Hukyn of this hospital to elect
and receive three or four chaplains to serve the
Most High in the hospital and to administer
divine service. Apparently these new admissions,
who were each to have a decent habit of the
hospital, were to be honorary chaplains, for there
was no endowment for them; they were probably
selected from chaplains or incumbents of the
numerous town cures, who might be willing to
be considered associate brethren of the hospital
and give occasional help. (fn. 4)

Sir John de Bishopsdon granted, in 1332, to
the master and brethren of this hospital a moiety
of the church of Moreton Morrell. (fn. 5) This
moiety Bishop Bransford, in 1340, appropriated
to the master and brethren; (fn. 6) whereupon they
covenanted with Sir John de Bishopsdon to provide two of their brethren, priests, to daily celebrate for ever for Sir John and Beatrice his wife
and for their ancestors and heirs; it was further
agreed that Sir John and his heirs should year by
year select the two priests out of the brethren of
the hospital for this chantry purpose. In 1345
Thomas Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, gave the
other moiety of the church of Moreton Morrell
to the hospital, (fn. 7) and it was appropriated to them
by Bishop Brian in 1359. (fn. 8)

Protection was granted for a year in 1337 to
'the master and brethren of the hospital of the
Holy Ghost and St. John Baptist,' Warwick, and
their attorneys for collecting alms in churches; (fn. 9)
from this it would appear that the house was
being rebuilt or required rebuilding at this period.
The remarkable double dedication here noted has
not been observed in other documents relative to
this hospital.

On 26 May, 1349, the year of the Black
Death, brother John de Alcester was collated to
the vacant wardenship by the bishop.

At the time of the clerical subsidy of 1513
John Blankys was warden; he paid 20s. as the
proportion due from this house. The Valor of
1535 gives the clear value of the hospital as
£19 3s. 7d., Thomas Bankes being at this date
master. (fn. 10)

A survey of 1546 certifies that the total clear
revenue of this ancient hóspital was £19 17s. 3½d.
and that it was founded to maintain a master or
warden, two chaplains, and two poor folk, as well
as to keep hospitality. But at that time the
funds of this pious foundation were entirely
alienated to the crown, one of the queen's servants,
Anthony Stoughton, having obtained a grant of
the whole possessions from Henry VIII. The
chapel was then still standing, and must have
been of some size, for the lead on its roof was
estimated to weigh four fodders, which at £4 a
fodder brought its value to £16. (fn. 11)

34. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MICHAEL, WARWICK

The hospital of St. Michael, on the north side
of Warwick close to the old church of that name,
was founded by Roger earl of Warwick, about
the end of the reign of Henry I. Its small
endowments were originally intended for the
benefit of lepers, and it was governed by a warden
and brethren. The warden was a priest and
served the chapel of the hospital.

The first mention of this hospital in the
Worcester diocesan records is 9 August, 1275,
when Bishop Giffard commissioned the archdeacon of Worcester and the dean of Warwick
to take charge of the hospital of St. Michael of
Warwick consequent on the removal of brother
Roger de Merton from the administration of the
house. (fn. 18)

In June, 1300, the brothers of the house of
lepers of St. Michael's, Warwick, wrote to Bishop
Giffard asking for the confirmation of Henry de
Combinton, brother of their house, whom they
had elected as their master and governor, by
licence of their patron, the earl of Warwick, on
the death of Roger de Merton, their late master.
He was duly instituted by the bishop on 29
June. (fn. 19)

The episcopal registers continue to supply the
names of subsequent wardens as well as occasional
further information. (fn. 20) On 6 May, 1308,
William de Lichfield, vicar of Wasperton, was
instituted warden. He is described as a man of
great sanctity of life, and also circumspect in
matters temporal as well as spiritual. At that
time there was only one brother in the house,
Roger Bertram, in addition to the warden.

On 13 August, 1315, Bishop Maidstone commissioned William, rector of the church of St.
Michael, Warwick, and brother Roger de Bertram, brother of the house of lepers of St. Michael,
to receive and elect three or four suitable men as
chaplains, who, in the regular habit of the
hospital, might laudably serve the Most High. (fn. 21)

On 10 September, 1343, brother William de
Knytcote was instituted warden, on the presentation of Thomas Beauchamp, earl of Warwick.
Warden Knytcote died of the plague and was
followed on 4 June, 1349, by Nicholas de Southam.
Henry Hynkes succeeded in 1355, and Ralph
Dod on 7 January, 1361.

Bishop Wakefield caused an inquiry to be made
concerning the resignation of Warden Dod, after
he had held the office for 27 years, and was becoming incapacitated by old age. On 7 April
the dean (rural) of Warwick, Peter, the prior of
St. Sepulchre, Warwick, John, master of the
hospital of St. John, and William, rector of St.
Peter's of that town held an inquisition concerning the vacancy at this hospital, to which Thomas
Beauchamp, earl of Warwick had presented one
Robert Enderby, on the resignation of Ralph Dod.
Ralph had agreed with the earl to resign if he
would find him the necessaries of life, namely
food and clothing. The commissioners stated
that the masters or wardens of this hospital in
past times had not been wont to serve the cure of
any distant church; that in their own days the
wardens had been wont to observe personal residence; that there was no current belief that
this benefice could be held with another cure;
that its value in temporalities, meadows, lands,
and rents, was six marks a year; and that the
aforesaid Robert Enderby held another benefice,
namely that of Atherstone parish church, which
he had possessed for more than ten years. They
also reported that John Kekewich, whom it was
proposed to appoint, was good and honourable.
Three days later the bishop instituted Kekewich
as warden. (fn. 22)

In 1513 it is recorded that Warden Herryson
was excused his share of the clerical subsidy
because he was poor and decrepit.

On 22 April, 1530, Robert Byrte, chaplain,
was appointed by the crown to be warden of St.
Michael's hospital, Warwick, and governor of the
'lazar-houses' there. (fn. 23)

The Valor of 1535 returned the clear annual
value of this hospital as £10 2s. 4d., out of
which 26s. a year was paid to certain leprous
(infirm) persons residing there. Another survey
made ten years later gives the clear annual value
as £10 19s. 10d. It is therein stated that it
was founded to give alms weekly to poor people
and to harbour some of them; but at that time
there was no resident warden, and the property
was demised by the crown on lease to one
Richard Fisher at a yearly rent of £10. The
said Richard distributed 8d. weekly to the poor,
and found four beds for their lodging, giving 8d.
a week to a certain poor woman to attend on the
four poor men and make their beds. (fn. 24)

Philip and Mary revived the religious character of the foundation; Richard Judson, priest,
was instituted warden, at their presentation, on
21 October, 1556, and William Mason, priest,
followed him in the same office on 2 October,
1557, on Judson's death. (fn. 25)